PnF: Stolen Identity
by Sols06
Summary: Takes Place as Teenagers - Phineas knows something's amiss when his brother starts to become irritable, snappy, and downright rude. When things get worse, Phineas is convinced Ferb has gone completely insane, while the real Ferb tries to fight his way back and drive off the impostor who has taken his place. T for some mild violence. No pairings, no slash.
1. Chapter 1

PnF: Stolen Identity

*Total Number of Chapters: 9*

*One Chapter Posted Per Day*

**Chapter 1**

_It must be built._

_I have told you before, nothing can build it. It's impossible._

_Ah, but there is one who can… Phineas Flynn. His capabilities are renowned throughout the earth. Use his skills to see it built._

_He must do it, and you must ensure that he does. Use the trust of the ones closest to him. Bend it. Manipulate it. Abuse it. Infiltrate his life through the one person he relies on the most. Ferb Fletcher._

* * *

Phineas had his nose pressed up against a side window as the subway sped beneath New York City. The three teenagers and their parents were patiently waiting on the booth seats as the blur of the tunnel wall flashed by, alternating between darkening the cabin and occasionally passing tunnel lights across the walls.

"What are you staring at, anyway?" Candace asked him from over her magazine.

"Nothin," Phineas replied, but his tone implied the opposite. "I'm just pretending like the wall is a big mountainside and we're speeding by on the edge of the cliff…."

"You're weird," Candace interrupted.

But Ferb was sitting lengthwise on the far side of the booth, also looking out the window. "No, I see what he means. See, a mountain would be so close that it would go by so fast that it might even look like a concrete wall…."

Candace turned her music back up. "You're both weird," she commented without interest as she returned to her magazine.

Phineas just hopped back onto the cushioned seat beside Ferb, who sat upright and moved his legs off the seat to make room.

"The week went by so fast!" Phineas said to everyone. "But I had fun. Thanks for taking us along, Mom and Dad!"

"It was our pleasure," their dad replied. "It's been a while since we had a good family vacation, and this worked out wonderfully around our business trip."

"But it'll be good to get home," said Phineas, before a voice over the loudspeaker called out their next stop.

"Here's our connection," their mom responded. "Boys, grab your bags. Candace, turn off that player and help me with the backpacks."

The train pulled slowly into the station, and as the doors slid open, the busy city-goers shuffled their way out. Phineas and Ferb were the first to push past them, followed by the rest of the family.

"So, which is the next one?" asked their father as they all grouped together to look around at the layout of the old station.

Phineas pulled out the subway map. "To get to our hotel… it looks like the yellow line goes right past it. That's umm… right over there!" He lowered the map and pointed at the other side of the platform. There, a raised yellow sign was labeled with the subway's line numbers.

"Alright everyone, looks like we have about fifteen minutes," announced their dad. "Last chance for bathroom breaks."

Ferb pulled off his travel bag and passed it by the strap towards Phineas. "Yeah, I have to go. Phineas, can you hold my bag for me for a sec?"

"Sure," he replied, taking it from him. "Just be back before the train leaves! We wouldn't want you to miss it."

"Hah, nope that wouldn't be good," Ferb said as he ran off towards the bathroom.

It took Ferb a couple of minutes to actually find where it was. In the busyness of the underground station, the little barely-marked grey door evaded his eye for quite some time. When Ferb finally did find it, he discovered that the public restroom was far from well kempt, and he intended to remain inside for as short as possible, eager to leave.

After running his hands under the warm water, Ferb grabbed a towel, wiped his fingers, and reached for the door. He turned the handle and pushed, but when it had moved only a quarter inch it stopped with a thud.

Ferb pushed on it harder, and it moved another inch. A second shove, and Ferb realized that it must have been hitting something that was blocking it from the other side. He put both hands on the surface and eased it open until there was about a six-inch gap, when Ferb could press his chest up against it and squeeze out.

Stumbling out of the small space, Ferb turned around in the crowded platform to look at the back of the door. There he saw a large plastic crate, filled with various shapes of metal, that was sitting at the door's base. It was skewed at an angle from Ferb's attempts to push it out of the way.

"Who puts a box of plumbing parts in front of a bathroom door?" Ferb wondered aloud, but none of the passersby paid any attention to him. He shrugged it off and headed off towards the yellow line platform.

Phineas and the rest of their family were already settled in on the next train, and Phineas was glancing out the window with anxiety.

"We shouldn't have gotten on, since he's not back yet."

"Relax, Phineas," Candace complained. "These things stay at the station for, like, a whole five minutes before they leave."

"Yeah, but we've been waiting for a while already." Phineas fretted as he kept looking out the window. He then straightened up when he saw a figure turning the corner.

"See, there he is," Candace responded in an 'I-told-you-so' tone.

_The doors are closing. Please stand clear of the doors, _the electronic female's voice announced over the loudspeaker.

Ferb sped up his walk when he saw the double doors begin to slide shut.

"Make it stop, he's not on yet!" Phineas exclaimed, as he watched Ferb run towards the closing doors. Even Phineas sticking his arm in the thinning gap didn't activate the door's halting sensors. Phineas was forced to withdraw his arm when it threatened to close around him.

The rubber seal of both double doors touched each other and locked right when Ferb collided with it. He placed both hands on the other side of the glass as he stared in at his family, before running his hands along the seal and top of the door for a button of some kind to let him in. Phineas was frantically searching his side as well.

Ferb was forced to jump backwards to the platform when the subway began to roll forward.

Phineas started to look all under the train's seats. "Pull the brake, do something, we're gonna leave him!"

His mom and dad were both searching the ceilings and floor for an abort switch of any kind. "I don't think there is one, honey. It's all automatic!"

Ferb ran alongside the train as it began to slowly pick up speed. Through the loud sound of the station, Phineas could see him mouth, "Wait!" as he raised his hand towards the doors.

Then Ferb pulled back and slowed, coming to a stop at the edge of the platform to watch in defeat as the subway continued on. Phineas pressed his cheek against the window to see the figure of his brother grow smaller and smaller, until the whole station was out of sight.

Phineas leaned back and slumped into the seat. His dad came and sat in the seat next to him.

"Don't worry, Phin," he reassured. "Ferb will find his way back. He will probably call us any second now."

Phineas' eyes widened as he looked down at the bag that was now sitting on his lap. "Oh no," he whispered breathlessly.

"What's 'oh no' mean?" Candace asked as she came to stand in front of him.

Reaching down into the bag, Phineas pulled out a little black electronic device. "I have Ferb's cell phone right here." He held it up for them all to see. "With the rest of his stuff."

Everyone looked back at the direction where they had left the station, as if imagining that they could still see Ferb watching them from the receding platform.

With a little gasp, their mom suggested, "We'll have to get off on the next stop and go back for him."

Phineas had already pulled out the subway map, and was scanning it over with his finger. "There's no connections… We'd have to take three trains back, and that'll take at least an hour…."

His dad was looking at the map from over his shoulder. He nodded in reluctant agreement. "Besides, I don't know if Ferb will stay there. I bet he will try to make it back to the hotel."

But Phineas was shaking his head lightly as he folded up the paper. "I've been the one with the map all day…. I don't think Ferb knows where the hotel is."

"Soooo…" Candace started. "We lost Ferb in a city of over eight million people, we don't know where he's going, and have no way of contacting him?"

Phineas let out a huge sigh. "Pretty much."

His mom hugged him on the back. "Don't be sad Phineas. Ferb is smart, he'll find some way to call us."

* * *

Ferb had stayed standing on the platform for a while, looking into the dark tunnel where the last subway had disappeared. As soon as reality settled on him, he reached into his pocket intent on calling Phineas.

"Ah, shoot," he exhaled when he realized that his pocket was empty. Anxiety approached him when he looked around at the unfamiliar faces of the work traffic, coming to the unsettling conclusion that he was indeed stranded alone in New York.

First, he thought of taking the next train and meeting up with them at the next stop. However, looking at the sign above him he noticed that the next subway was a green line, and the nearest yellow was not arriving for another twenty minutes.

Running over to the closest posted subway directory, Ferb followed the map of the yellow line with his finger. He saw that it curved and looped quite a bit in the region near this station, and there appeared to be another stop within reasonable running distance.

Knowing he would have to be quick to beat the train, Ferb turned without hesitation to run up the stairs and onto ground level. It took him only a few minutes to cover the distance, and his strangely-hurried sprint did turn some heads as he ran down the New York sidewalks. He came to the marked underground station and nearly stumbled down the stairs as he fought to race to the subway level. As he stopped, he began to look around at the well-labeled platforms.

Suddenly he felt his shirt grabbed as he was pressed up against the wall by the elbows of another teenager. Ferb stared in surprise at his attacker, who was now eyeing him with a scrutinizing gaze. Ferb began to mouth words but found that he was speechless, when the teenager pressed him further against the concrete wall.

"You… you…" Ferb began to say, paralyzed with bewilderment. "…You're _me!"_

The assaulter just pushed his green hair out of his face, narrowing his scowl and tightening his grip on Ferb's shirt. He then dragged Ferb to a grey door that had been propped open by a mop stick, and kicked it out of the way.

"_Shush _and GET IN," he said as he shoved Ferb into the darkness, releasing his grip with the flick of his wrist. Ferb tumbled downwards and crashed into a mop bucket and several brooms. He sat up and turned around just fast enough to see the door slam shut behind him, leaving no daylight between its cracks.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The train pulled up to the station, and Phineas looked at the map that he had returned to examining. "Is this one ours?"

"We're looking for Stop 25," replied his father as they all looked out the glass to the cement walls that were labeled with pained numbers.

"No, looks like five more before we get there." Phineas then put the map away as the doors unlatched to let all waiting passengers into the cars. Phineas perked up as he recognized his brother among them.

"Hey, Ferb! You made it back!" he greeted happily as he slid over to make room beside him. "You must've had to run pretty fast to get here before us, huh?"

But Ferb went over to take a seat by the window, replying only with a short, "Yeah."

"Here," Phineas said as he grabbed Ferb's bag and tossed it at him. "I kept it safe for you."

Ferb jumped as it hit him, before grabbing it up off the floor and setting it next to him. Phineas waited for a second, anticipating to hear a thanks. It did not come, however, and Ferb just kept looking at the glass window with interest nowhere in particular. Phineas just passed it over and continued his previous conversation with his parents.

The train arrived at their designated stop in no time, and their mom led them off the platform. The hotel was a short one-block walk from the underground station, and they had entered the lobby doors within a few minutes.

"Okay, lets all get our room packed. We have to be checked out by 3pm," their dad instructed as the family arrived at the locked room door. All five of them entered and began gathering their things.

"Phineas, I want you to pack my bag for me," Ferb stated after fiddling around with various articles strewn around the room.

Phineas had already placed most of his clothes into his suitcase. "Oh, okay. You're not gonna do it yourself?"

Ferb didn't answer at first, and when he did, he did so indirectly. "You've already packed yours."

"Yeah, I did. What are you going to do?" he asked with honest interest.

"I just want you to pack it for me."

Walking around to Ferb's side of the bed, Phineas started to grab his pieces of clothing. "Well, sure, I guess I can. Everything's pretty much here already."

Ferb just sat on the couch and watched Phineas, Candace, and his parents finish up. When all the roller bags and backpacks had been lined up neatly by the door, their dad divvied up carrying assignments, and the group of five made their way back down towards the lobby.

"And you all have your room keys?" asked the hotel clerk after looking up their room records.

Everyone shuffled up to the desk and set their copies onto the countertop, until four keys were lined up. Then they all turned to look at Ferb. He stared back for a second before he realized what they were waiting for. He began to check all his pockets, announcing, "I don't have mine."

"Really?" his father asked. "That's not like you to misplace things."

"So I lost it," Ferb groaned in annoyance at him. "I can't keep track of everything."

"That happens all the time," the clerk assured. He then handed back a credit card along with a little piece of white paper. "Here's your transaction receipt, so you're all checked out and ready to go. The airport shuttle leaves in about an hour."

* * *

"HELLOOOO?" Ferb called at the top of his lungs as he banged the base of his palm at the door. The total darkness of the janitor's closet gave no help to his attempts, as not a single ray of light escaped beneath the crack of the floor. Ferb didn't even know if there was anyone walking by on the other side.

He was not keeping track of how long it had been, but judging by the hunger he felt in his stomach and the rawness of his hands, it had to have been at least six hours since he had been shoved inside.

"Can anyone hear me?" Ferb yelled with another hit at the door.

"…Hello?" came a confused female voice from the outside. "Is… is somebody stuck in there?"

"Yes!" Ferb said with desperation. "Do you have a key?"

"No…" she replied. From her voice Ferb guessed that she was merely a passing-by tourist. "Hold on, I'll go get somebody!"

Ferb leaned back and sat on an upturned bucket, finally able to let out a breath. A couple of minutes later, he heard a click of a key jingling.

Squinting at the bright light, Ferb placed a hand over his eyes as the door slowly swung open.

"Woah, there really is a guy in here," said the janitor in confusion as he peered past the door hinge. Ferb stood up, blinking, and stepped out.

The janitor was closely examining Ferb's scruffed up hair and tired-out appearance. "...How long have you been in there?"

Ferb brushed his fingers through his hair. "Uhh, more than a few hours."

The tourist who had found him was also standing beside the janitor. She looked with perplexed interest into the dark closet. "And... how exactly did you get stuck?"

"Well... I was actually... shoved in there..." Ferb began to scratch the back of his head, still trying to process the events that led up to his captivity. "By, uhh... by... somebody."

Ferb then looked around the busy platform as he read all the signs. At this, the woman beside him asked, "Can we help you find something?"

"Actually yeah, I'm looking for the Penna Hotel." Ferb stopped his searching and addressed his two rescuers. "Do you know where that is?"

"Oh yeah," the janitor said, pointing towards the tracks. "You just take the yellow line north till Stop 25. Head up top and you can't miss it."

"Thanks a lot!" Ferb replied as he started to run off.

"Now don't go falling into any more closets, then!" the janitor called out at him with a shrug.

Though it was in the middle of rush hour, Ferb was able to meander his way onto the train in decent time. Squeezed into the cab, when Stop 25 finally did come Ferb had to shoulder past the rest of the passengers to reach the door. Sure enough, as soon as Ferb emerged from the underground subway's exit stairs, he immediately recognized his hotel sitting on the corner of the block.

He entered through the sliding glass doors, and headed over to the elevators. There, he took out his room key and swiped it in the little slot to authorize use. Little red lights blipped before him. Ferb swiped it again, this time a little harder. It flashed up red lights. After trying it a third and fourth time, Ferb gave up and headed over to the check-in desk.

"My card's not working in the elevator," he said as he placed it on the counter.

The clerk just stared at him for a few seconds. He then took the card and placed into his drawer, with an oddly purposeful comment. "So looks like you found it."

Ferb just kept leaning on the edge of the counter. "What? No I never lost it, it's been in my pocket all day. I normally don't lose things."

The clerk seemed to ignore him and just kept working on his computer for a moment. Ferb waited patiently before eventually prompting him. "So can you re-load it so that I can go up to my room?"

"Did you forget something?" the clerk said, looking up from the screen with an impatient stare.

"I'm just looking for my family."

Returning to the computer, the clerk kept typing without interest. "Well I can't re-load it now, check-out time was four hours ago. They wouldn't be up there."

"You mean… they left without me?" Ferb leaned further over the desk, almost as if he was trying to see the computer screen to check for himself.

Pulling his hand around the edge of the screen, the clerk turned it away in annoyance. "No, you were with them."

"I was?" Ferb replied with slight disorientation. "Are you sure?"

"Have you looked in a mirror lately?" the clerk huffed rudely. "I think I would remember you."

"Oh…" Ferb backed a little off the counter as he questioned him. "…do you know where they went?"

"They took the airport shuttle at about 3:30."

Ferb lowered his eyes with a daze. "The… airport shuttle?"

"Yep. You know: The shuttle that goes to the airport," said the clerk, growing more intolerant by the minute. "Do I have to explain everything to you?"

"No, um," Ferb said as he peered over the counter again. "Can I use your phone?"

"Hotel guests only."

Gaining irritation himself, Ferb replied, "I AM a hotel guest."

"I just told you that you checked out four hours ago." He pointed at the seats in the lobby. "Now stop holding up the line, there are customers waiting."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Phineas fiddled with his seat-back tray table as he moved it up and down. He turned to Ferb as he kept pestering him about going home.

"Feels good to finally be on the plane, huh?" he said as he leaned over the armrest. "Four more hours and we'll be back home!"

Ferb crossed his arms over his chest as he scooched closer to the other side, closing his eyes a bit. "I just want to get to Danville."

"Yeah, me too," Phineas answered, sitting back into his own seat. "What do you want to do when we get there? See, I was thinking that once we get unpacked we can make this big boomerang that when you hit the button it-"

"Quit bothering me, I'm trying to sleep," Ferb said as he repositioned and closed his eyes tighter. "These flights are long enough as it is."

"Oh, sorry," Phineas said, pulling his knees in and setting his hands on his lap neatly.

The plane arrived in Danville Airport at a late hour. After the family had taken their car out of the parking garage, the group headed home eagerly and upon entering the house, set off to unpack their suitcases. Ferb, however, decided to go straight to bed.

"Wake up, sleepy head! It's already 7am!" Phineas called the next morning. Ferb awoke with a moan and pushed the pillow out from under him.

"So I have a lot of ideas about what to do today," Phineas started, hopping back over to his own bed. "But we have to choose one fast cause the delivery truck makes its rounds in about two hours and we have to get the order in-"

"No, we're not making any of those," Ferb said as he got up to walk over to the desk in the corner of the room.

"Okay, so what are we making?" Phineas said in curiosity, following Ferb.

Ferb had pulled out a roughly-drawn blueprint and flattened it out on the surface. Phineas came over and looked down at it.

"Neat! You drew this yourself?" Phineas was reading all over it. "Soooo… whatz'it do?"

"I'm not telling you," stated Ferb.

"Oh cool, a surprise." Phineas had not taken his eyes off the paper. "Well, it makes enough sense that we can build it together. Grab the parts list and I'll call the delivery truck!"

* * *

"You, wake up."

Ferb opened his eyes to the dark lobby, to see the hotel manager standing over him.

"This is a hotel. If you want to sleep here, you have to pay."

Ferb lifted his head a bit to squint at his watch. "Its 4am. You want me to pay 120$ to sleep in a bed for two hours?"

"It's policy. No loitering in the lobby for more than a few hours," the manager explained sternly.

"Two hours. I'll be out of here by six, not a minute later." Ferb sat up to respectfully address the hotel employee.

He just rolled his eyes at him. "Fine, but at 6:01 I'm calling security."

* * *

Phineas grabbed two of the metal pieces that had just been delivered into their garage. He fitted them together and reached over to grab a screw. On the other side of the garage, Ferb had on his welder's mask and was aiming the wand at a joint between two metal poles.

"So we got a whole box of two-inch screws, right?" Phineas said, turning in his seat to better talk to Ferb. His eyes then jumped open widely.

"Woah, woah, woah, Ferb!" he leapt over to the other side and yanked the torch out of his hands. "You're gonna burn your entire arm off if you hold it like that!"

Phineas slowly let go of his grip on the torch, calmed down and handed it back to Ferb. "You've only been welding for seven years. Are you okay? Cause you've been acting really strangely."

Ferb just stared up at him and snatched back the wand. "I'm fine."

Most of the rest of the day was spent in the garage, and they made a lot of headway on their project before lunch. A couple of minutes after they had eaten, Phineas spotted Perry through the open door that led into the house.

"Hah, Ferb, look at Perry," he said as he set down the piece he was working on. He then leaned out of his chair to point in the direction. "He's all laying upside-down with his feet in the air! And he's staring at the wall over there."

Ferb clenched his knuckles into a fist. "I don't _care_ about your dumb platypus, Phineas."

Phineas suddenly grew quiet and looked back at his brother. "…You don't? I thought you liked Perry?"

"You've been wondering about that stupid thing all day," he replied, not taking his attention off the small screwdriver in front of him. "Stop getting so distracted so you can get back to work."

A disappointed and surprised look crossed Phineas' face. "When did you get so snappy all of the sudden?"

"I'm not snappy," Ferb retorted with another frown. "I just want you to focus more."

* * *

The waiter crossed around the table and held up a large silver carafe. "Can I get you more coffee?" he said as he pulled it over.

"Huh? No I'm good," Ferb answered after looking up from his breakfast. After all the circumstances he was grateful that, of anything, he at least still had his wallet with him. When he had woken up that morning he discovered that he was absolutely starving, having not eaten anything since lunch the previous day. Now, he shoveled bacon and eggs into his mouth as he stared thoughtfully over the backs of the chairs across from him.

"Do you think he was a clone?" Ferb asked the waiter after he had set his fork onto his plate. "I don't think we've ever made clones before. We thought they'd be too dangerous."

The waiter just kept holding his coffee pitcher as he stared, unmoving, back at Ferb.

"But if he was a clone, then he'd have my same personality," Ferb continued, still directing it towards the waiter but clearly talking to himself. "And he definitely wasn't a clone of me. He was… forceful, and angry…."

"Well…" the waiter said in response, darting his eyes left and right with uncomfortable skepticism. "I'll go bring you the check."

"Say…?" Ferb said, leaning out of his chair as the waiter attempted to turn around the corner. The waiter stopped moving but refrained from returning to the conversation.

Ferb saw him respond to his question and continued. He peered around another corner to where the bathrooms were located. "…You don't happen to have a payphone here, do you?"

The waiter let out a sigh of relief when he realized that this was a quite normal question. "Yes, actually. It's right near the coat rack over there. Hasn't been used in ages, though."

"Thanks," Ferb said as he stood up from the table. "Set the check over here, I'll be right back."

* * *

Phineas placed the brown paper bag of groceries on the countertop with a light crumpling sound. He then returned to the front door to grab another.

"Thanks a lot for helping me with the shopping, boys!" their mom called out from the car. "It's sure easier to have another set of hands."

"No problem, Mom!" Phineas answered, passing Ferb who was standing in the doorway. He had his back leaning on the doorframe as he watched his mom close the trunk of the car. Coming back up the stairs, both Phineas and their mom entered back into the house. Ferb turned in and followed them.

"Hey, look," Phineas said as he ran into the kitchen. "There's a message on the machine. Must've been left while we were gone."

"Who's it from?" his mom asked from her place sorting the bags.

"Dunno. Let's find out!" Phineas pressed the play button, and the machine rang out.

_Hey, guys, it's me. I just wanted to let you know that I'm okay. I'll be trying to get ho-_

The message then cut off. Phineas turned around curiously, and saw that Ferb had his finger over the delete button. He looked back up at Phineas and replied shortly, "There's no reason you need to hear that."

"Umm, yeah I guess not," Phineas agreed tentatively. "But where were you when you left it?"

"It doesn't matter where I was. I'm here now," he said with little inflection.

"That's true I suppose. But I was going to listen to it anyway," Phineas pointed out with a little bit of sad regret.

"I said that it doesn't matter," Ferb replied as he pushed past him roughly, heading for upstairs.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Even in the rush, the New York airport was not as busy as Ferb was expecting it to be. The customer's service desk had a short line, and soon Ferb had reached the front.

"Hi, can you look up a record for me?" Ferb requested as he approached the agent.

"Sure, what's the name?" she asked with a click on the computer.

"Should be under 'Fletcher.'"

"Let's see… yep, they reserved five tickets from New York to Danville."

Ferb slowly nodded, and opened his mouth again. "And… are they already redeemed? There might be one left for me."

She clicked through the screens on her computer again. When she had found the right page, she looked back up at Ferb. "Nope, sorry, looks like all five of them have been used already."

"Oh…" Ferb said, almost thinking about walking away. But, he instead looked back at the agent and tried to be optimistic. "Well, I still need to get home, somehow. Is there any way to add a sixth ticket on there?"

"Sure there is. Do you have the credit card that was used to pay?" she said as she prepared the computer.

"Hrm, well no, it was my parent's card," Ferb said in defeat. He then thought for a moment and suggested, "Can you look it up by number?"

"Umm, no, I can't look up your parent's credit card with your phone number," she replied with disbelieving puzzlement. "You know, credit cards don't work that way."

"Oh! No, you may have misunderstood me," Ferb clarified with a slight laugh. He curved his fingers, pretending to hold up a card. "I meant with the actual number on the card."

She could not help herself from staring at him for a few seconds in perplexion. "You memorized your parent's credit card number? Why?"

"Hey, I didn't do it on purpose," he defended. "I just have a good memory."

She looked back to the computer for a moment, but gave Ferb a look of sympathy. "I'm sorry. But I'm not allowed to charge a card without the card holder present."

Ferb just looked down at his feet away from the counter. "…I sort of lost my family on the subway, then they all went home and left me here alone."

"Really? That's horrible!" she exclaimed. "Why on earth would they do something like that?"

"I kind of have an idea… but I don't want to believe it myself."

The agent cautiously looked left and right, then leaned closer to Ferb. "Okay. I'm not supposed to do this, but if you have the number then I can add a ticket and get you booked on a later flight."

"You will?" Ferb said with relief. "Ahh, that would be really helpful."

After a paper had been printed out of the machine, she reached over the counter and handed it to Ferb.

"Here you are, it leaves in about four hours and gets into Danville at 7pm."

* * *

"I know, Stacy, but we can't all be wearing the same thing, we'll look silly," Candace said into her cell phone. She sat on the little reclining chair in the back room and discussed plans with her friend.

"Yeah, orange is in right now, but we'll all look like tangerines." Candace's phone beeped in her ear. "Oh hang on Stacy, I have another call."

She pressed the button and greeted the second person. "Oh hi, Jenny! Yes I wanted punch, but only three bowls. What? If they're on sale, maybe four. One sec. Moooooom!"

Candace had lifted the phone off of her ear and placed her hand over the mouthpiece as she called to the other room. "What's my budget?"

It was a moment before her mom finally replied haphazardly. "Hold on, Candace dear. We're trying to figure this out."

"Ugh, sorry Jenny. I'll have to call you back." Candace got up from the chair and hung up the phone, entirely forgetting about Stacy on the other line. Candace then turned the corner to see her parents both gathered around the computer.

"Figure what out?" she asked them directly.

The computer was open with their financial website. "Somehow we were charged for a sixth plane ticket. Your father's on the phone with the airline now."

"Just finished, actually," he said as he set the phone down. "They say that it was directly charged to the card, so it's not a mistake on their end."

"Well, I'm trying to plan my party, so I have a zillion other phone calls to make," Candace said as she left them to their sorting.

Ferb slept for most of the flight, and hardly noticed when the plane touched down. Having no bags himself, Ferb was able to walk past most of the other passengers as he headed down to ground level. There, he found the busy information desk, with several black phones set up alongside it.

"These are public?" Ferb asked the employee as he grabbed a phone in his hand. "I need to call a ride."

"Yep, just dial this authorization code and the number," he informed as he gestured to a printed label on the phone.

"Thanks," Ferb said as he began to type his home number in.

"Phone call!" Phineas hollered from his place on the couch. "Who is it?"

Ferb was already the closest to the phone. "I've got it," he said, picking it up to press the accept button. He held it to his ear, but did not speak.

A few seconds of silence rang out before the voice on the other end said, _Hello?_

He still did not answer.

_Hellooooo? Did someone pick up?_

Still silence.

_Phineas, is that you? Can you tell Mom or Dad to come get me at the airport?_

With no change in expression, he just pulled the receiver away and placed it back on the charger with a click.

"Soooo?" Phineas, having come over from the living room, said with curiosity. "Who was it?"

Ferb looked down at the phone. "Wrong number."

"But you didn't even talk to them."

"It sounded like a wrong number."

Phineas just kept looking at Ferb. "That was kind of mean, you know," Phineas accused. "To not even answer, then hang up on them."

Still holding the same neutral look, Ferb just walked back into the living room. "Let's get back to work," he said as he sat down on the couch in front of the coffee table that had several mechanisms lined up on it.

Coming to sit beside him, Phineas looked at the metal pieces but did not touch them. He held up a makeshift remote that he had been keeping beside the couch, and addressed Ferb sweetly.

"So I was thinking we could take our old remote-control airplanes and re-wire them with confetti-"

"No. We're working on this," Ferb interrupted without a glance from the wrench he was holding.

"Come on, Ferb. It's Candace's birthday, we always do something special for her," Phineas pestered, giving puppy dog eyes.

But Ferb did not even bother to toss a glance. He replied purposely, "We started this, so we're going to finish it. Nothing else."

* * *

Ferb pulled the phone off his ear and looked at it in confusion. The person beside him noticed, and commented, "Having trouble?"

Placing the receiver down with a beep, Ferb attempted to explain it. "I guess no one's home and the message machine is broken."

After he had pulled out his wallet, Ferb glanced inside and saw only a few twenties left. "I suppose I have enough for a taxi. Though I thought this late at night at least somebody would be home."

While he was dialing the phone again, Ferb re-addressed the person beside him. "I'm not liking this one bit."

The taxi drive was only a little more than ten minutes, and soon Ferb had paid the driver and stepped up to his house. Reaching to his pocket, Ferb scolded himself when he realized that he had left his house keys in his travel bag, which was now inside the house.

Instead, he walked up the steps and rapped hard on the door.

"You hear that?" Phineas asked Ferb while looking at the door. "Sounds like someone knocking."

"It was a branch against the window," replied Ferb.

The knock came again.

"Sure it wasn't the door?"

But Ferb set the device on the table, crossing his arms in front of himself. "Phineas, I JUST saw that branch hit the window. Stop imagining things, it's not the door."

When no one came to answer, Ferb gave up on the front door, and moved towards the living room window. There, he pressed his head on the glass and tapped lightly on it. "Hey, Phineas, I-"

But Ferb stopped. He could see Phineas sitting in the couch with his back facing the window. However, Ferb had to stick his nose further into the windowpane when he saw _himself_, sitting across from Phineas. This imposter had his eyes narrowed and was staring right out the window, directly at Ferb.

He bent over and started to gather up the metal pieces from the coffee table. "Phineas, grab the things. We'll continue this upstairs."

"Huh? Um, okay," Phineas answered, with slight surprise at the sudden change. "I guess it is kind of cold down here."

"Wait! Phineas!" Ferb called out through the pane, but Phineas had already followed up the stairs.

Ferb turned and hopped over the bushes to get back on the pathway. There, he ran around to the backyard and spotted the tree that grew near his and Phineas' bedroom window.

Grabbing the bark firmly with both hands, Ferb hoisted himself up to the first branch, then pulled nimbly up to the next one. He pushed on his knee for balance, and leaned up to the glass.

Again, Ferb saw that the two inside were sitting so that Phineas' back was to the window. All the various metal objects still lined the work area. The other Ferb seemed to be cautiously keeping watch, and had spotted Ferb outside within mere seconds.

"Phineas. Go downstairs and get me something to eat."

"Fine," Phineas said as he stood up, but not necessarily with agreement. "Can you say please?"

Ferb moved his eyes sweepingly to the doorway in a shooing motion. "I'm hungry. Just do it."

Phineas was mumbling something as he trudged out the bedroom.

Ferb then slowly stood up, and took his time in walking over to the window, where he reached up and unlocked the latches. He placed his hands on the glass and slid it open.

"Please, let me come in and talk to him," said Ferb from his place hanging out of the tree. He tried to lean further into the room, only to be pushed back by a firm hand on his shoulder.

"I thought I lost you in New York," the other growled.

But Ferb just ignored him and kept his focus on the bedroom. "I haven't seen him in a few days. He might be worried about me," he begged, attempting once more to climb in.

Clutching onto Ferb's fingers, the second pried them off of the side of the window, half-knocking him off the branch.

"Why would he be _worried_ about you?" he said as he stared him down. Then he gripped onto Ferb's collar and yanked him into the window, causing his feet to almost dangle off the edge of the tree. Dragging Ferb up to him, he whispered into his ear, _"You're not even missing."_

Releasing Ferb, the imposter took both palms and shoved him out of the window by the chest, and he tumbled backwards with a cracking of wood.

Not a second had passed before the window was slammed shut and latched, the doer turning around while brushing off his hands in satisfaction.

Phineas came flying into the room, braking himself by grabbing into the door frame. "What was that?"

Ferb made no notion of responding to Phineas, and was staring crossly at Phineas' empty hands. "You didn't get me anything."

"Well, no," Phineas explained. "I went down there and was looking in the fridge, then I heard some weird sound up here so I ran up to see what it was."

Ferb didn't let up his displeased frown.

"Sheesh, if you're gonna be like that about it, you can just go down and get it yourself," Phineas said as he slumped down onto his bed with a glare.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Ferb blinked his eyes and moaned, pushing himself up on his elbows. It took some effort to stand back up, but once he had, he brushed the leaves off of himself. His whole body ached, mostly his back. However, as he leaned against the side of the house, he was sure that nothing was broken.

Looking up, Ferb could see that two or three small branches had broken off from where he had collided with them on his way down. Ferb realized that he had apparently been out for quite a while; from the color of the sky he could tell that it was already early morning. He shook his head and rubbed it, before making his way slowly around to the side door that led to the garage.

"Aw, come on, Ferb. Just a hint?" Phineas begged as they continued work on the intricate project.

"I'm not telling," he answered sternly.

"Please? If I just knew what it does, I'd get rid of lots of design questions floating in my mind."

"I told you before, I'm _not_ telling you what it does."

Phineas just set down the piece he was working on. "Surprises are fun and all, but we've been working on it for a while. We're a team, wouldn't it go faster if we both knew what it does?"

Ferb also put away his metal object, but his movement was more deliberate than Phineas' had been. "Phineas!" he exclaimed. "I'm your brother, we've known each other for sixteen years. Just _trust_ me when I say that I'm not telling you."

Staring back at Ferb, Phineas merely cocked his head as one side of his lip went down in a sideways frown. "No… Ferb, we're _step_brothers. We met each other when we were three. We've only known each other for thirteen years."

"Yes, that's what I said. Thirteen," he said casually, returning to work on the piece of the machine.

"You said sixteen," Phineas pushed, refusing to pick up his own object.

"Your ears are playing tricks on you," he retorted, only tipping his gaze upwards once. "Do you really think I would forget something like that?"

"But, I coulda sworn I-"

"You _heard me wrong,"_ he said directly into Phineas' eyes. Just then there came a loud knocking sound coming from the garage. Ferb returned the metal to the table and stood up, looking down onto Phineas. "Stay here. I'll get it."

Ferb went over to the garage, heading for the side door. He reached for the knob, and creaked it open to survey the visitor standing in the door.

"Please, just let me come in," the tired and dust-covered Ferb asked.

The other placed his hand on the doorframe to block Ferb's entrance with his arm. "Why would I let YOU in?"

Ferb breathed hard and gave up trying to push past. He leaned around and peered into the house that he was being excluded from, and begged, "Why are you here? Why do you want my life?"

"I don't want your _life_," the second Ferb scoffed at him. "There are other things I want."

Ferb leaned back and gave him a grimace of his own. "You threw me out a window."

"Yes, I also locked you in a janitor's closet on the other side of the country," he replied with an annoyed smile. "And I'm surprised you got back up."

A look of disgust appeared on Ferb's face as he said quietly, "...What are you trying to do?"

"I am _trying_ to get rid of you," he responded, pushing his face right up to Ferb's. "And if you don't stop interfering... I might have to include your brother."

"You wouldn't…" Ferb tried to convince both himself and the other. "I would never do anything to him, and you're me."

"Hah!" he replied in a frighteningly amused laugh. "You think that I am you? We are _far_ from each other, Ferb Fletcher."

The imposter then began to shut the door, leaving it open only a few inches as he whispered back out of it. "Now leave. Leave and never return."

He closed the door slowly with one last whisper, "I am _nothing like you_. Remember that if you ever think about coming back."

After the door was shut tightly, he returned to the living room to silently come and sit back down on the couch.

"Are you going to tell me who it was?" Phineas asked skeptically.

"It was another branch," he answered. "It's windy."

Phineas eyeballed him. "You were out there for a while, though."

"I had to take care of something," Ferb said steadily, almost ignoring Phineas.

Standing outside in the bright morning sunlight, Ferb rested his forehead lightly on the door. Out of nothing but desperation, he set his hand on the knob. Then the imposter's mistake suddenly came into view: He had left the house door unlocked.

Easing the handle open, Ferb pushed the door with careful attention not to make a sound. Crouching low, he snuck into the kitchen. From the shuffling sounds, he could tell that the two of them were in the living room, but he dared not go in lest the imposter was truthful in his threats.

The other Ferb grew attentive at the sounds from the kitchen, looking up towards the doorway. Phineas noticed this, and also peered over.

"Stay here, I'm going to check something," Ferb said as he moved over to the archway.

From the kitchen Ferb could hear this conversation, and frantically began searching for anything he could use, without even knowing his intentions. Quickly he grabbed a notebook and a pen, scribbled something on it, and tossed it to the table. In half a second, he had slid gently out the back door, keeping his eyes fixed on the scene through the window.

His impersonator came walking into the kitchen, scanning the room with a suspicious squint. When he found nothing at first, he immediately came over to the back door. Reaching up to the lock, he turned it with a click.

Phineas came waltzing in behind him, and also looked around the room.

Ferb turned around and scolded him, "Didn't I tell you to stay in the living room?"

"I don't have to do everything you say, Ferb. I was curious," he said, still watching the room. In his thoughtful inspection, he instantaneously recognized the out-of-place notebook on the table. He ran over and picked it up.

It took him a moment to make out the haphazard catscratch. However, tilting it sideways a bit, he read it carefully.

_not me -F_

After reading again, he turned it around and showed it to Ferb. Letting him stare at it for a few seconds, Phineas remarked, "So whatzit mean?"

Ferb tossed his gaze away. "Why would _I_ know that?"

"I dunno," Phineas said as he turned it back around. "It's signed with an 'F,' I thought maybe you wro-"

"I didn't _write_ it," he interrupted. "I don't know who _wrote_ it, and it hardly matters."

He stuck out his hand forcefully, holding the palm up. "Give it."

"No," Phineas said rebelliously. "I want to find out what it means."

"Give it to me!" Ferb repeated, pushing his hand closer.

"I want to-" Phineas started, but was unable to finish as Ferb grabbed onto his wrist with one hand. With the other he clutched the notebook and yanked it out of Phineas' grip. Then, he took the empty palm and shoved Phineas on the shoulder, sending him hobbling backwards onto the kitchen floor.

"FERB!" Phineas exclaimed. "_WHAT_ has gotten into you?"

But he had already left Phineas laying on the tile as he stomped up the stairs.

Leaving the outside window, Ferb began to rattle at the locked door, trying with all his willpower to see it opened. "No Phineas! I didn't mean it!" he called, but his brother could not hear him through the thick wood of the walls. Phineas just stood up and trudged disappointedly back into the living room.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Sitting on the couch all alone was not what Phineas was planning on doing that day. He just stared at the wall, feeling guilty for reasons he did not even know. He really wanted someone else in the room with him, but even Perry had disappeared for the day.

Ferb came walking down the stairs, and made his way over to stand next to the couch.

"I'm sorry, Ferb," Phineas said, clearly showing his emotion through his face as he looked up at him. But Ferb didn't reply.

"…so?" Phineas prompted almost accusatively. "…Are you sorry too?"

Crossing his arms, he stared down upon him with a tangible sense of dominance. "I'm not apologizing. I didn't do anything." He tipped his head towards the garage. "All the parts left for the machine are in there."

"You didn't DO anything? Ferb, _I'm_ the one who didn't do anything, and I'M apologizing!" Phineas charged, standing up to match Ferb's dominant stance but fell short by about eight inches. "Apologies work in two ways, Ferb. We've always done it that way."

With narrowed pupils, Ferb did not back down. Phineas was surprised to see not a single hint of compassion in his eyes.

Letting off just a bit, Phineas let Ferb have the space. He broke eye contact for a second, before re-addressing quietly. "You've changed, Ferb."

He clenched his teeth. "I haven't _changed."_

"Well, you weren't always like this," Phineas contradicted. "You were once my friend, but now I don't even know who you are anymore. You used to be my _best_ friend, not this… whatever you've become."

"I haven't become a _whatever."_

"Then what?" yelled Phineas. "What _have _you become? Because you're SURE not yourself right now!"

Phineas waited for Ferb to defend, but no response came. He just stayed looking down on Phineas, and kept his lip drawn up in a scowl.

"I miss you, Ferb," Phineas said in a stutter. "The old you."

"Well too bad," the retort was thrown back without even a second's pause. "You've got me, so deal with it."

Then he threw his finger to point at the garage door, yelling, "Are you going to go in there and finish it?"

"What if I don't WANT to finish that stupid machine!" Phineas argued, moving around to the put the back of the couch between him and Ferb.

But Ferb just came around and stood right in Phineas' face. "You are going in there, and you are FINISHING it. _Right._ _Now!"_

"I am _not_ making that thing for you!" Phineas resisted, but then he caught sight of the unrelenting rage under Ferb's brow. He lowered a bit, asking, "…What are you going to do?"

"Do you want to find out?"

Phineas reached up both hands and pushed Ferb backwards, to which Ferb reacted by grabbing onto Phineas' wrist. Twisting it out of his grasp, Phineas called loudly, "It's almost done anyway, you can do it yourself!"

With that he sprinted upstairs, however Ferb followed right on his heels with a short, "Get back here!"

Leaping into his room, Phineas turned around and slammed the door in Ferb's face, locking it as fast as he could. He ran over to the other side of the room to stay clear of now-rattling deadbolt.

Ferb pounded hard with his fist on the door, not ceasing his constant yelling. "Phineas! You open this door before I break it down!"

Huddling in the corner, Phineas pleaded with him. "Please, Ferb! I know this isn't you!"

"Come-Out-Here-NOW." Another slam hit against the door.

"Remember yourself, Ferb! Remember who you are!"

Now Ferb had begun to kick the base with his foot. It sounded as though the door really would break down at any second.

"We were three years old, Ferb. When we first met. Do you remember that night?"

"_Don't_ bring this up," Ferb shot down from the other side of the door.

"What was the first thing I _ever_ said to you?"

Ferb let out a growl. "I _don't _have to answer that_,_ Phineas!"

"But it will help you, Ferb! You need to remember!"

"It. Is. _IRRELEVANT_!" he screamed through breaths with each kick.

"What in the world is going on up here?" came the voice of their mom as she appeared near Ferb.

Tossing his hand at the door, Ferb shouted his accusation. "He locked me out!"

"_FERB!" _his mom scolded with force. "You, go downstairs and cool off! This instant!"

He groaned and pressed his arms and fists at his side, eyeballing the locked door as he steamed off down the steps.

Phineas heard a light knock. "Will you let me in?" came his mom's voice.

"Is Ferb with you?" he replied cautiously.

"No, I sent him downstairs."

Taking a moment, Phineas got up and undid the lock. However, as soon as his mom had entered he shut it again and re-latched it.

They both went over and sat on Phineas' bed. Placing her arm around him, his mom asked gently, "Are you two having a fight?"

"I… I think we are," Phineas said as he leaned to her.

"Oh, honey. What about?"

Phineas peered over at the door that Ferb had just been threatening to tear down a moment ago and said quietly, "I don't even know. He's just so… angry all of the sudden."

Letting out a broken sigh, Phineas continued. "It's like he's snapped and gone completely insane."

His mom just hugged him tighter. "Phineas, dear, I'm sure you're exaggerating. I know you two have never fought before, and new things can be scary. But fights aren't all bad, I'm sure both of you will feel better in the morning."

"You don't understand, Mom," Phineas said, blinking his eyes slowly. "There's something wrong with him."

She leaned back and looked down at her son. "Wrong with him? Is he sick?"

"Maybe," Phineas thought. "But if he's sick, then he'd be majorly sick."

Both of them did not talk for a second, but soon Phineas softly requested, "Can you tell him to sleep downstairs tonight? I… don't really want him up here with me."

"Phineas… Ferb seemed angry, but he would never hurt you."

"It would just make me sleep better, is all," he tried to convince her in a mutter.

She gave him a lovingly consoling smile. "Alright, I suppose it wouldn't bother anyone. I'll go get the spare sheets." She then got up and headed out the door, hearing Phineas lock it again as she left.

She was slightly surprised to see Ferb walking up the steps as she descended them. She stopped him mid-way. "You left your brother really hurt in there. You should be ashamed of yourself."

"…I know," he said with a heavy head. "I'm going up to apologize."

"That's more like it," his mom replied as she continued down the stairs.

"…Hey, Phin?"

"Go away. I don't want to talk to you."

Ferb set his forehead silently on the door, resting his hand against it. "I'm really sorry for anything I may have said to you-"

"I've been putting up with you because I thought you were just in a bad mood," Phineas interrupted. "You've been nothing but rude to me ever since we got back from our trip."

"But I never meant one word of any of it. Not a single word," Ferb tried to speak his mind carefully, his voice cracking through his mouth.

Phineas didn't move any closer to the door, but did look up at it. "Then _why _did you say them?"

Breathing hard as he rested against the wooden surface, Ferb cherished the few seconds he had to speak. "It wasn't me who said those things."

"_That's_ what I was just telling you. You're not yourself," Phineas reminded him with wariness.

"I'm really sorry, Phin," Ferb repeated again. "I would never do anything that would hurt you or harm you or make you feel bad."

Phineas perked up at the blank inside of the door, saying, "…I haven't heard you talk like that in days."

"Talk like what?" Ferb asked.

"You're talking like… yourself."

Ferb sighed and wanted to smile, but he couldn't force it out. "I haven't been myself," he said gradually. "There's two of me. …And one is… angry and unreasonable. And dangerous."

No answer came from the other side for a while. When it did, Phineas almost whimpered, "M-m-maybe Mom is right… we should take you to a doctor."

"It's not like that, Phineas," explained Ferb in sad defeat. "But I don't know of any way to explain it other than there's two of me…."

Pushing his feet down onto the floor, Phineas stood up in place. "But… you're feeling better now?"

"Yeah…" Ferb said quietly. "Right now I'm me."

Phineas scooted his feet closer to the locked door. "Do you… do you want to come in here and sit with me?" he offered.

"Yes… yes, I would like that a lot," came the sincere voice.

Walking slowly over to the bedroom door, Phineas reached down to the knob. It was then, however, that he heard a strange swoosh and scuffling sound from the other side. He opened it and stuck his head out.

"Ferb?" he asked, looking down the hall. "Where'd you go?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Ferb collided with the concrete floor of the garage as he landed on his side. He pushed up and looked at the one who had thrown him, standing in the doorway.

"I TOLD you never to talk to him!" he screeched down at the Ferb lying on the ground.

Staring back up at him, Ferb gave him a revolted glare. "I just wanted to talk to my brother... For five minutes."

He got up on his hands and pushed right up to the imposter, thankful that they were the exact same height; he could at least gain some ground against him. He straightened up as he accused with force, "I was apologizing for what YOU did. Do you have any idea how upset he is in there?"

The other Ferb straightened up to match him, but did nothing more than angrily smile his teeth.

Ferb continued to shout, "He trusts me! He trusted you! You are Messing. Up. _Everything!"_

The second did not cease his sinister smiling. "I don't care about _him_. I don't care about his _feelings. _I care about his skills."

Ferb realized that as the other spoke he was subtly-almost inadvertently-gesturing to the strange contraption on the garage floor.

_"That's_ what you're having him build?" Ferb asked as he came over to look at it. The strange design offered no clue to its purpose, and it looked odd with its many broken holes into its inner-workings. Ferb pointed at the central lever and denounced, "That lever is way too close to the mesh of the cogs... Whoever pulls that will lose at least… two… three fingers!"

The other Ferb pushed him away with his arm. "I warned you what would happen if you got in the way," he said through a menacing growl. "I think I'll make Phineas pull it."

Ferb gaped back with nothing but sheer horror. He stayed still for a moment, but then opened his mouth and began to scream as loud as he possibly could, "PHINEAS!"

He took a breath. "PHINEAS! I'M IN THE GARA-!"

Ferb's scream was muffled as the other came around behind him to cup his hand tightly around his mouth, whispering with a slight panic, "Shush! Shush, you!"

He kept a strong grip on Ferb's arms as he tried to struggle away, and drug him over to the back door. Quickly he opened it and tossed Ferb out into the muddy rain.

"Ferb!" Phineas called out, appearing in the door from the house. He fixed his eyes on the single person in the garage and asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yes..." the now-alone impostor answered, not turning away from watching the now-locked door. "I just wanted to tell you that I finished the machine."

"Really?" Phineas said with doubtful confusion. "Cause from the way you were screaming, I thought maybe you were dying out here or something."

"Go back in the house," he commanded, ignoring Phineas' concern. "I have to take care of something."

Phineas just eyeballed him suspiciously, then snuck back inside with an odd look. The other immediately turned back around and unlocked the door, slipping out into the rain.

The instant the door was shut, he reached down and snatched up Ferb by the back of his collar, and began to pull him through the dirt.

"Let….me….go!" he panted while attempting to resist with both arms.

The other Ferb had dragged him to the basement pantry, and flung the wooden doors open. He lifted Ferb with strength and tipped him over the edge, causing him to fall down onto the dusty floor. Immediately, Ferb stood up and grabbed for the ladder, but it was already being pulled up out of the open pantry doors. Once it was out, the second Ferb threw it across the yard and peered back into the hole.

"Let's see if you can get out of there," he taunted with annoyed anger, before shutting the wooden hatch with a slam.

Phineas was waiting in the living room, when he spotted Ferb coming in from the back door and greeted, "Hey, Ferb!"

He just walked past him, heading for the garage. "Follow me."

"…Okay," Phineas answered. "Where are we going?"

"To the lake."

"Mom! We're going to the lake!" Phineas called out to the kitchen. She answered with a nod.

Phineas glanced back in front of him and saw that Ferb had not even stopped, and was entering into the garage. Phineas ran to catch up to him.

Ferb was already loading his device into the bed of their pickup when Phineas entered. He cautiously looked over Ferb with a slight conviction. "Ferb... why are you covered in mud?"

"Get in the truck," Ferb said, jumping down from the raised platform.

"Are you going to tell me why are we going to the lake?"

Ferb snarled at him. "I SAID, get in the truck!"

"...Oh. So you're back to being like that again?" Phineas said, his heart dropping to his feet as he looked at him. "What happened to you?"

"I want you to do what I say," Ferb commanded again.

"Why are you acting like this? Where is the Ferb I was just talking to upstairs?"

With clenched fists, Ferb went around to the front side of the truck that was parked in the cold night air, muttering, "You should've never seen him. He came out on his own."

"Please, Ferb, let him out again. I don't know if he's right on the surface or somewhere deep inside, but you can reach down and find yourself again," Phineas said, chasing him around the truck. "Please, let me help you."

Ferb just stayed next to the truck door, piercing his gaze into Phineas. "You can NEVER talk to him," he growled.

"There's something wrong with you, Ferb," Phineas begged into his brother's slitted stare. "You need help, maybe medical help."

He just retorted back, "There is nothing wrong with me."

"Were you doing some experiment and tested it on yourself? Are you being controlled by something?" Phineas tried to ignore Ferb's rage as he attempted to speak to him. "Whatever it is, we can fix it. I... I just want you to come back."

"I told you there is nothing wrong with me!" he snapped with flashing teeth.

Phineas moved a bit to reposition himself so that he was shielded by the truck's front. "I care about you, Ferb. And I don't like seeing you like this. Please, calm down and let me help you. We can find out what went wrong in that brain of yours, we can find some way to change you back."

"Look into my eyes, Phineas!" Ferb yelled unnecessarily loudly. "Look into my eyes and _tell me what you see."_

The night wind blew lightly through Ferb's hair as Phineas tried to read him. His brow was scrunched up in the center as he wore a scowl, and the whites of his eyes were so narrow that Phineas could barely see his pupils. His expression held nothing but mercilessness.

Phineas took a gasp as he tried to keep his composure. "I'm looking, Ferb, and... I can't see you in there.… That's what scares me."

"That's because he's not in there," Ferb said plainly. "The old Ferb is gone_. This is me now!"_

Phineas started to back away from him, but Ferb launched forward and grabbed him by the upper arm, tossing him into the open passenger's seat. He then went around and jumped into the driver's side.

Reaching for the handle, Phineas pulled it and discovered that it would not open. He turned to Ferb in horror. "You turned on the safety locks? Why would you do that?"

Without an answer, Ferb turned the key and began to drive the truck out of the driveway.

* * *

With another jump, Ferb's hand was still a good few feet away from the bottom of the pantry's door. Even after stacking whatever he could find, the wood hatch was at least a foot out of reach.

Ferb got back down to the pantry floor and took a rest. With a few pants, he took the moment to regain his strength for another attempt at escape. He tipped his head up with his arms at his hips.

"Phineas!" he called up to the silent night beyond the doors. "Phineas, I'm coming for you!"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The dark trees rushed past the truck's window as Phineas pushed his head against it. He was cuddled up against the metal door in as tight a ball as he could make himself. Taking his eyes off the window, he glanced back over at Ferb behind the wheel. He was paying no attention to his passenger and just kept a determined watch on the road ahead.

"…Ferb…" Phineas whispered. When there was no answer, he spoke again. "…Ferb… I'm scared. I'm _really_ scared. …W-what are we going to do when we get there?"

At first, Phineas thought that Ferb would continue to remain silent. However, after a few seconds he remarked, "You'll find out."

Phineas scrunched up closer to the wall and whispered again, "…Ferb… I think you're kidnapping me."

"I'm _not_ kidnapping you," he spat back.

But Phineas was growing adamant. "Ferb!" he resisted. "The _definition_ is 'to abduct by force.' You're kidnapping me!"

After a second of silence, Phineas felt panic settle on him. He whimpered, "…Why are you kidnapping me?"

"It DOESN'T COUNT if it's your _brother!_" he yelled as his hands tightened on the wheel so strongly, Phineas thought it might break in two. Ferb clenched his teeth as he fought the urge to take his hands off the steering.

"Are you?" Phineas said, almost in a mumble, as he turned back to the truck's window. "You're not my brother anymore, Ferb."

Instead of answering, Ferb turned the wheel and pulled into the dirty gravel parking space by the edge of the lake. He unbuckled his seat belt and came around to the passenger's side.

"Don't think about leaving," he threatened through the slightly cracked window, before jumping up into the bed of the truck.

* * *

Now Ferb had found a few more barrels that he had managed to roll over. Though it was extremely unstable, the tower now appeared to reach semi-near to the top. Ferb hopped up the first makeshift step and prepared to climb the next one, when the wooden doors swung open.

Peering upwards, Ferb eagerly attempted to see who it was.

"Mom!"

"Ferb! What are you doing down there in the pantry?" came her reply as she leaned in slightly. "I thought you went to the lake with Phineas?"

"They went to the lake!" Ferb exclaimed, frantically gesturing to the air behind his mother, while simultaneously attempting to disassemble the pile. "Quick! I think the ladder is up there somewhere!"

She ran over to where the ladder was laying in the grass, grabbed it, and began to lower it back down into the basement doors. As soon as he could reach it, Ferb flew up it and stumbled out of the hole. His mom jumped back in surprise.

"You said they went to the lake?" Ferb asked the instant he was on his feet.

"Phineas did, but I don't know who else-" she replied, but Ferb had already ran into the house. He grabbed the keys off the key holder and headed for the front yard.

"I'm taking the car," he called as he left the door.

* * *

Phineas kept his eyes closed in the quiet seat of the truck as he waited nervously for Ferb to return. He had left a few minutes prior to take the strange machine somewhere into the lakeside forest, leaving Phineas stranded alone in the locked truck.

Suddenly the door was pulled open and Phineas felt his shirt grabbed. He opened his eyes to see that Ferb was now dragging him by the wrist through the forest path.

"Ferb, I don't want to go anywhere with you. Please let me go," Phineas begged as he tried to pull away. Ferb, however, acted as though Phineas was just an object he was pulling and made no effort to cater to his comfort. He just drug him strongly as he led the way off the trail and into the trees.

A short distance from the edge of the lake was a small patch of dirt. Here, Phineas recognized the odd contraption that he had helped build, which was now set up in the white moonlight. Ferb flung Phineas so that he almost tripped to stand next to the machine. He then pointed a tense finger at the lever in the center. "Pull it."

Phineas shot back with a terrified expression. He gaped at him, "You didn't fix it? When I made it that way I thought it was such an obvious design flaw that you were planning on fixing it later!"

Ferb was insistently glowering at him. "It has to be that way. That's the only way it works."

"But Ferb! I don't want to get my fingers chopped off!" Phineas pleaded as he tried to turn away.

"Don't think about running!" Ferb scolded, intercepting him and taking out a piece of rope. Then he began to wrap it around both of Phineas' wrists and a metal support of the machine.

"Snap out of it, Ferb!" Phineas tried to stop himself from whimpering again. "You don't have to do this," he said through a sad frown.

With a last tug on the rope's taut ends, Ferb backed up towards the forest. He tossed his rage-filled, unfaltering gaze at Phineas, before slipping into the darkness, saying, "Don't you leave this spot. I will be back."

Standing alone in the night of the clearing, Phineas looked around at the unknown and intimidating machine, and at the still lake water. He felt a sudden combination of fear and great loss dump over him.

What was perhaps a minute or two later, there was a rustle of leaves and Ferb came running into the clearing once again. Now, though, he was breathing so hard it was as if he had just run a marathon.

He stumbled over to Phineas and began fiddling with the brown ropes, asking frenetically, "Phineas, are you okay? What did he do to you? Are you hurt?"

Phineas tried to pull away from him. "I don't... I don't know what you're talking about..."

"Phineas, please," Ferb craved, showing his own slight panic. "Please stop struggling, I'm trying to _un_-tie you."

Phineas immediately held perfectly still and looked into Ferb's eyes, which were focused intently on the bindings. "...Ferb! You're you again!"

After a second of letting his heart slow down, Phineas once again shrunk into a fearful state. He whispered at Ferb, "Please don't ever turn into that monster ever again."

Ferb reached over and wrapped his arms protectively around Phineas. He pulled back to look into his brother's eyes. "Don't worry, I'm me for good. I've always been me."

Phineas started to argue, but Ferb would not let him, interrupting with, "He's not me. He's definitely not me. Phineas... there's literally two of me."

Ferb then uneasily glanced over his shoulder, returning his attention to the task of freeing Phineas' hands. Phineas continued to stare into his eyes.

"You're really you?" Phineas asked with a cracking voice. He looked off into the direction of the gravel parking lot. "And that... whatever... He's really not you?"

"Don't let him fool you," Ferb concluded, with another pull at the ropes. "Ah, I can't get them, but they're looser. Do you think you can slip out by yourself?"

Phineas lightly yanked at them. "I... I think so," he said, but he still would not take his focus off of Ferb.

"YOU again!" came the roar of Ferb's voice. Phineas' eyes darted between both of them as the second Ferb came up behind the first. Phineas tried to hide his eyes in his sleeve as though he could pretend not to be there.

Ferb came up and sheltered Phineas behind his arm, saying defensively, "Don't you dare come near my brother."

"Stop with your interfering," was his return as he crouched low, arms readied.

Ferb let out a threatening yell, leaping onto the imposter. He pinned him down into the mud and held his hands firmly behind his back.

"Run, Phineas!" he called out, sitting with his knees used as extra restraints. Phineas rattled his hands in his bindings, before they finally came loose. He did not, however, turn and run.

"I want you to come with me, Ferb! Please!"

"I will!" Ferb said as he pressed further down. "You just run!"

Phineas shuffled his feet in the dirt, first backing up slowly, then quickening his retreat into the forest trees. Soon he was sprinting as fast as he could towards where he thought the gravel parking lot might be. He turned back several times to see Ferb struggling to maintain his grasp over the other.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Phineas had lost sight of the small clearing as he rushed his way through the trees. He searched straight ahead for either the truck or the car, but saw nothing but dark forest ahead of him.

After a crackle of leaves, Phineas spotted Ferb coming out from a shadow to the side of him. He led Phineas along by a grip of the arm, saying, "Come on, it's this way."

Ferb quickened Phineas' run as they both pushed branches and needles out of their path. Over the wind past his ears, Phineas could hear another set of heavy footsteps chasing them.

The voice behind the trees called out through the night air. "Phineas!"

Digging his heels into the dirt, Phineas came to a halt. This sudden movement caused Ferb's grip to fall off of Phineas' arm as he tripped forward. He turned back at Phineas as he stood up with the warning, "Don't stop or he'll catch you!"

Phineas kept his feet planted firmly in the mud while inspecting Ferb. He then threw out, "What if I WANT him to catch me?"

With a crack and a flap of branches, the Ferb who had been in pursuit appeared before them in the dimly-lit shadows. He made no act than to simply stop and stare.

After a moment's pause, Phineas ran over and clutched both arms tightly around his waist. "Ferb…" he spoke quietly. "…for a sec he made me think he was you again."

Taking his hands around Phineas' shoulders, Ferb positioned so that he was in front. Phineas hid behind him as they both stood and watched the other Ferb, who was now growing angrier by the minute. He was scowling with bared teeth as he flung the mud off his face.

Phineas reached up and tugged on Ferb's shirt. Ferb bent down a bit so that Phineas could reach his ear, though he was still staring watchfully ahead. Phineas whispered softly, "I'm glad I don't have to fight him all alone out here."

Standing back up to better shelter him, Ferb answered, "I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

The other Ferb held his fingers spread tense at his sides as he lashed out, "I need someone's hand on that lever. Maybe I'll just make YOU pull it." With that, he jumped forward and tore Ferb away from Phineas. They fell down into the mud as they tousled about, grabbing each other's hair and snapping sharply while each attempted to stay in control.

Both of them had on an angry and determined grimace, eyeing the other with impatience and intolerance. One had pinned the other, then they swapped and the second was down. After a few minutes neither of them had a clean patch on them, as they were now thoroughly covered in mud. Phineas blinked as he looked from one to the other, and realized that he had lost track of which was which.

"Feeerrrrb," Phineas whined anxiously. "Stop fighting so fast, I don't know which one you are!"

"It's me!" called the Ferb on the right.

"He's lying, Phineas! Don't listen to him!" cried the one on the left.

Phineas covered his eyes, trying with all his might to avoid the scene in front of him. He went around to the shadowed base of a tree and hid behind its trunk. He could still hear the squashing of wet dirt as the fight continued.

A time later, the sounds stopped. He then heard the voice of Ferb call to him, "Phineas... Phineas, I've got him!"

Phineas peered around the trunk and saw that Ferb had his arm around the neck of the other, holding him in a headlock. He was struggling as he tried to claw his way out.

"Come on, let's find something to do with him before he escapes," he said as he repositioned his grip.

Standing up a bit, Phineas came around from the tree, but was still uneasy around the two of them kneeling in the dirt. The captive's eyes had begun to water as he continued to fight.

"But Ferb, we're not going to hurt him," Phineas confirmed.

"He tried to hurt you," Ferb contradicted with another tighten.

"Ferb..." Phineas said with uncertainty. "...Which one are you?"

"I'm you're brother," he answered flatly.

Phineas lowered his stare as he intently surveyed him. "Ferb would never hurt anyone."

"Phineas! You don't recognize you're own brother?" Ferb accused as he leaned towards him, almost choking his subject. The gasping Ferb moved his nearly-closed, drowned eyes to look at Phineas. They held a clear look of desperation.

"I DO recognize my own brother, and YOU _Are. Not. Him!" _Phineas pointed with incrimination at the Ferb on top. "So, you! Let my brother go!"

Advancing up to him, Phineas came around back and grasped unheedingly onto the side of his elbow, and yanked it off of Ferb's neck in a flinging motion. Immediately he used the momentum to throw the other Ferb backwards into a large puddle of lake water.

Dropping to his hands, Ferb coughed and gasped for breath as he rubbed the spot where he had been constrained. Quickly Phineas appeared kneeling beside him, fretting, "Are you okay? You're okay, right?"

"I'm... fine," he said through a wheeze. "But let's leave before he climbs out of there."

Phineas helped him up by pulling on his arm, and Ferb pushed himself out of the mud. Slipping slightly, both began to make a dash as fast as they could to the parking lot.

As soon as the car was in sight, Ferb ran around and leapt into the driver's seat. Phineas slammed into the car door as he flung open the passenger's side.

Ferb turned the key while Phineas kept a watchful eye towards the break in the forest.

"Do you see him coming?" Ferb asked while the engine rumbled.

Phineas kept scanning the darkness. "I don't think so, but get it started quick."

With a rev, the car burst to life and the dash lights flashed. Not wasting a second, Ferb spun the wheel and drove off onto the road that led back towards town.

The trees passed quickly by the window as Phineas stared out of it. Though it felt like frightening déjà vu, he was thankful that they were heading the opposite direction. But Phineas still could not shake his discomfort, and kept his paranoid gaze on Ferb as he drove quietly.

"Do you think... do you think he's still following us?" Phineas put out, looking back to the receding road behind them.

"He's got his machine, he can find someone else to pull it," Ferb pointed out with thought. "I don't think he will bother us anymore."

Phineas didn't object, but remained anxiously tossing glances over to Ferb.

"Hey Ferb... can you stop the car?" Phineas asked softly and politely.

"We should probably keep moving just to be safe," Ferb answered. However, taking his eyes off the road for a few seconds, he looked over at his distressed brother with an honest concern. After taking a reluctant glance at the rear view mirror, Ferb began to place his foot on the brake, saying consolingly, "Sure, Phin. We can stop the car."

When they were stopped on the side of the road, Ferb turned off the engine and faced over to Phineas.

"Is your arm hurt?" he asked as he placed a hand forward, nearing Phineas'. "Here, let me look at it."

But Phineas shrunk away closer to the door as he pulled back his wrist. Though it looked more than a reflex than a conscious action, Ferb still froze, looking slightly hurt.

"It's okay, Phineas. I'm not him," Ferb tried to say convincingly. Phineas didn't move from his spot scrunched up on the seat.

"...I understand," Ferb said with a sigh. "I might be scared of me, too. I'm not going to push your trust."

He sat back down into his seat and slumped his shoulders as he let his focus wander. They both left the air silent for a while, but it was a well-needed silence. It was Ferb who broke it.

"You saved me some cake."

Phineas tipped his head up from where it was resting on his chest. He looked over at Ferb with interested confusion. "Huh?"

"I figured I would answer your question... since he couldn't," Ferb said as he still stared into his lap. "Dad took me over to meet you guys. Your mom made some cake and you were extra persistent to save it for me."

Phineas' eyes lit up and a great smile crossed over his face. He leapt over the armrest and cup holders to give Ferb a big hug.

"I knew it was you, I just knew it!" he said as he felt Ferb's gentle arm on his shoulder. "I'm sorry I didn't believe you, but that was really scary… I'm so glad you were never him."

Ferb just smiled back at him with his usual comforting, warm smile. "Let's get back home," he offered, while turning the car back on.

* * *

Ferb gave the house key to Phineas as he stayed back to brush the mud off of himself in the front doorway. With a click in the lock, Phineas opened it and walked inside.

"Oh _there_ you boys are!" greeted their mom as they came in the door. She looked at them and asked with a questioning tone as she stared Ferb up and down, "Ferb, why are you covered from head to toe in dirt?"

"It's a… long story," was Ferb's tentative reply as he scratched his mud-caked hair.

"Well, you'd better go and get cleaned up or you'll get the couch all dirty," she said as she positioned him off the wood floor and onto the doormat. "So, I've set up the spare sheets and have the pillows in the drier…"

"Oh!" Phineas exclaimed. "That's okay, you don't need to do that, Mom. Ferb's alright now."

Phineas pulled Ferb around almost as though he were showing him off, not caring that he, too, was getting mud spread on him.

"But you shouldn't act that way to your brother, Ferb. I still think some punishment is in order," their mom answered as she looked at him skeptically.

"No! Don't punish him, Mom. I'll vouch for him," Phineas argued convincingly. "That Ferb wasn't Ferb, but this Ferb is. The other Ferb was some kind of clone or something."

"Or an alien," Ferb corrected as a suggestion.

"Yeah, an alien!" Phineas agreed. "It would make a lot more sense if he were an alien."

"Oh, that's my boys," their mom sighed with a smile as she went over to re-gather the bedding. "You have a fight, and you blame it on… _clones_ and _aliens._"

After she had the sheets in her arms, she looked as though she meant to hug both of them, but stopped when she realized that she would get the clean sheets all dirty. Instead, she headed up to the laundry room with a laugh, saying, "I'm glad to see you two back to normal."

Phineas, already smeared with brown dirt, didn't mind giving his own hug to Ferb. "Normal is a lot better than not normal."

Ferb smiled back. "And a lot better than being thrown out windows."

* * *

**Liked this story? Don't forget to post a Review!**

**All My PnF Fanfics:**

**PnF: Timeloops**

**PnF: Ghosts**

**PnF: Stolen Identity (Viewing)**

**PnF: Stuck Like Brothers**

**PnF: Mind Trapped **

**PnF: Species is a Constant**

**PnF: Lifeleap (Currently Posting)**


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